Cody Perez – Open Eyes

By starrymag | January 7, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) The best way I can describe my sound is rock music from the heart – a sound that connects, makes you feel, heal and also inspires. I have so many influences and so many different genres of music that inspire me but if I had to sum it up into something, it would be the good old-fashioned rock. The material I have been writing for this solo project has been me pouring my heart out there and letting the world see what I am feeling and going through in my personal life. I am putting my thoughts and feelings into music and words hoping that it relates with others and that it helps them feel a connection to it and I hope that it helps them to heal and feel inspired.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) I have many influences but if I would have to pick the ones that inspire me the most for this project it would be Chester Bennington/Linkin Park, Jacoby Shaddix/Papa Roach, Chris Daughtry/Daughtry and Adam Gontier/formerly 3 Days Grace/Saint Asonia, Scooter Ward/Cold just to name a few. I love it when an artist is known for putting their feelings and their hurt into their music and you can hear it and you can even feel it.

 

Q) You recently became a solo artist. Were there any nerves stepping out on your own?

 

A) I was extremely nervous to do a solo project. I was so used to working with my band and working as a team to put together music and release and promote it together. It made me very nervous because unlike with Amerakin Overdose, where we would all collaborate on the music and lyrics, this is all my responsibility putting the music and lyrics together. Thankfully, I have my producer who takes my ideas and provides feedback and takes them to the next level. I also did not know how the Amerakin Overdose audience would respond to the music and the different direction I was taking with the music. I have always been a person who does what I want, and I don’t hold back when I want to do or say something regardless if others don’t agree with it. So, I knew I was going to do this for sure. I am very thankful and happy to see that so many of the AOD fans love it and continue to stand behind what I do. It really helps to inspire me to continue to grow as an artist and as long as I am genuine and real with what I do, I’ll have their support. For me, it was also very exciting to be able to showcase a very different side of me and my capabilities as both a musician and vocalist.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Open Eyes.”

 

A) This was a song I wrote when I was dealing with some very personal and painful things in my life. Without giving too much away, I couldn’t even recognize myself and who I was and what I had become and how I was living in this very unpredictable moment in life. I felt very defeated and beyond the point of depression. I did not think I would be able to get myself out of this deep dark hole I felt I had fallen into. One day I woke up and started to look at things very differently and realized everything happens for a reason and how I look at things and how I react can make the world of a difference. I feel like I discovered this superpower within myself that I had always been preached to about perception is everything and changing your mindset is the key. I was finally putting that into practice, and it really has changed my life. The lyrics just flowed out of me, and I had these melodies that I kept hearing as I was putting my lyrics together. I put together the music and the rest was history. When we were putting the video together. I knew the video had to have the visuals of light and dark. We got a perfect background of Portland, and we were able to film during the dusk hours to capture it.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I think the first thing that stood out was that the music was not at all what people expected me to do. Some of the music is a bit heavy and has a metal kind of breakdown, but for the most part the music is very different than I have ever done before. A major thing about the song that connected with people was how positive the message was. The feedback I received from so many people was that it had a very positive vibe and they felt it. The song and lyrics are very genuine and real, and I put the lyrics in a form that people could interpret what it was about into something for themselves to relate to. I think it really helped that the video expressed that a lot. Freeman and Starbie (Guitar and Bass player in the music video) used to be former band members of mine in Amerakin Overdose. Things ended in a bad way for us, and we didn’t talk for a very long time. This was the first time since 2015 we had played together since then. There was a lot of emotion behind that when we were performing, and it was all captured in the video. It felt great and I was so thankful to be playing alongside them again. People that knew the history we had could see the chemistry in the video.

 

Q) Why was it important for you to include your fellow Amerakin Overdose members in the concept?

 

A) I wanted to include my former band members from Amerakin Overdose in this video because I felt like it would be symbolic. Things ended in a bad way for us when the split happened, and we didn’t talk for years. We have become great friends again and we have overcome the bad. Like the theme of this song, it is about starting over, seeing things in a different light and rising above it all. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of friends to be a part of this video.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) In most cases the song writing process I am most used to doing is writing the music first and then I listen to the song as many times as I can and get a good sense of what the feel of the song should be. I will then think of a topic to write about and freestyle type out all of what I am feeling, thinking, etc. Sometimes I will have melodies in my head and I will try and put words to them and I will write the lyrics and then put music to it. It’s rare for me but it happens where the lyrics come first. Some songs I can write the vocals and lyrics as soon as the song is complete, other times it can be months and months of me not being able to come up with something I feel is good enough. I usually keep patient and don’t rush or force anything into a song. Even if the song is done, I’ll let it sit on the side for as long as it takes to get the job done right. I refuse to settle when it comes to my lyrics and music. When I put something out there, it is permanent and that is what I will be remembered by, so I make sure to get it done right.

 

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

 

A) I have been asking myself this very question. I am unsure. The plan was to release singles every few months along with a video and see how people would respond. I think eventually I will be releasing either an EP or full-length album. I wasn’t sure if I was going to perform these songs live but I am now even considering the possibility of doing that. I think it would be fun and I would love to see people singing along to these songs. I am about 90% sure I will likely put these into a package and likely even get them on CD.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) I honestly like to play anywhere and everywhere. As long as there is an audience, I am there to put on a show and entertain. I love crowd participation, so I always encourage people to jump, move, have fun and sing along. Even if it’s a first time seeing us, I will teach the words to the chorus before we play and many times I will put the mic in others faces to sing along. There is nothing like the feeling you get when the crowd knows the words and sing along. If I had to pick an area that I like to play I would have to say the Midwest. I have been lucky enough to play pretty much in almost all of the USA with the exception of a few states. The Midwest crowd is just super energetic, and they have so much love for the bands it is incredible. One of the tours we did we noticed the fans would literally go to every single merch booth for all the bands on the bill and spend easily a hundred dollars plus in merch for each band. This would happen at pretty much all of the Midwest shows. It blew my mind. The people are great to meet and hangout with before and after the shows. I feel like I am hanging out with friends and family when I get to meet the fans. I look forward to the day when I get the chance to play internationally and play in other countries and see what the crowds are like in other places of the world.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) I would love to do a song with Corey Taylor. He is probably my biggest influence as a vocalist. Marilyn Manson would be awesome to write some music with. I would love to have Jacoby Shaddix bust out some of his rap style vocals on a track as well.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) I can’t get enough of the new Gemini Syndrome album 3rd Degree – The Rising and Ded School of Thought. Both albums are amazing!!! I highly recommend people to go out and buy it. Also, my friends in Lions at The Gate released a brand new single “Scape Goat.” I am really looking forward to when they release their full-length album. I was lucky enough to get to hear a majority of their songs and I was blasting them for as long as I had access to listen to them. I love any music that has great melodies, catchy choruses, heavy and melodic parts. If I can sing along to it by the second time I hear it, I know its a banger.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) Social media is such a huge part of the world we live in anymore that even if you want to try and escape it or get away, you can’t. For an artist/entertainer it is very important to be connected to it and have material for your audience. The more you let people into your personal life and what you are doing, the more your audience feels a part of your world and connected to you. When they build a connection to you and see that you are human and they can relate to many of your thoughts, experiences and the things you post on social media, the more loyal and supportive and behind you they will want to be. So many use different social media platforms to stay connected with their favorite artists so it is important to use various one and not rely on just one. When I was growing up, I loved the mystery of all the musicians/bands that I loved. Sometimes I wouldn’t see an updated video or pics of my favorite bands for months no matter where I searched on the internet. I loved the mystery and curiosity. In today’s world, you can’t really do that and stay relevant.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) I would love to thank everyone who has supported both what I do with my solo project, Amerakin Overdose and any previous other music project I have done. I have so many loyal friends who have been with me from way back to my high school days and continue to listen and share my music. All of the newer people who are listening, thank you so much and there is much more music to come. I shot the music video for my second single. I want you all to please stay in touch and please continue to support and share my music!